D-Drill praised as example to others

COVENTRY drilling and sawing business D-Drill has been hailed as an example to others for its work encouraging apprenticeships.

The firm currently has 12 apprentices going through its training programme and of the current workforce, 45% have come through the ranks after being first signed up to an apprenticeship.

Suzannah Nichol, of the National Specialist Contractors Council, said: “D-Drill’s dedication to creating and training the future workforce deserves great praise. Apprentices and new entrants are the future for our industry, particularly specialist contractors.

“The number of apprentices employed by D-Drill and the quality of the training and experience delivered is impressive and demonstrates how businesses of all sizes can invest in their future.”

Network Rail seeks women apprentices

NETWORK RAIL is bidding to recruit four people to fill apprenticeship vacancies at its depots in Sandwell and Saltley – and is encouraging more women to apply.

It said many young women were missing out on a career in engineering because subject choices they made pre-GCSE mean traditional university routes are closed to them. However, the rail organisation said an apprenticeship could reopen those academic doors.

The vacancies cover railway signalling and electrification & plant. Network Rail is currently funding around 40 apprentices a year to further their education with a part-time HNC in engineering. The best are then supported to do foundation degrees, undergraduate degrees and reach chartered engineering status.

Around 200 places are currently up for grabs across the UK.

Network Rail head of resourcing Adrian Thomas said: “We recruit smart and ambitious women and men through our apprenticeship scheme who we know if supported can go on to higher academic achievement. As a growing sector, rail needs to recruit and retain top quality engineers for the future.”

Staffordshire backs NAW

STAFFORDSHIRE County Council has added its support to NAW. The local authority has been running its own apprenticeship scheme since 2009 and during that time has recruited 280 young workers. They have been employed in a wide range of roles including teaching assistants, chefs, catering staff, administration assistants, ICT technicians, gym instructors and social care assessors.

Deputy leader, Cllr Ian Parry said: “It is vitally important that we give young people the opportunity to develop their career and in Staffordshire we continue to invest in providing real opportunities.

“We are very proud of our apprenticeship scheme which ranks us in the top 100 companies and organisations in the country offering apprenticeships.  By working closely with businesses we are also helping them to realise their wider responsibility to the local economy and to Staffordshire’s future prosperity.

In 2010/11, 2,251 16 – 18-year-olds started an apprenticeship in Staffordshire.  This is a 21% increase from the previous year and is higher than the national average of 13%.  The regional increase was 14% over the same period.